Thursday, March 27

At the risk of participating in sacrilege, I use this title to describe both my return to blogging and the things I've had on my mind as of late. But first things first. Many requests have come in to describe the official Meet the Parents trip (hereafter, MTP) and what in the blazes is going on in my life now that I have a slight addition to it. So here we go. The rundown:

Friday March 7. Fly to Seattle. Nauseatingly nervous the entire flight. Not sure what I'm getting myself into. Do I really want to do this?? I hardly know this guy!!! AHHH! Land in Seattle, Jason's there waiting. He greets me with a kiss and one of those lovely enveloping hugs... I feel slightly better. Jason's sister Cara picks us up at the airport and we go to her house to play with kids and bond with Cara. She is rad, I loved her already, and her kids are hilarious. Legs tired from flying kids in the air like airplanes. My mom and Grandma come to Cara's to pick us up. We journey up to home, drop off Jason's stuff at his folks' house. I meet his folks. They are also rad. His mom can be described in Anne with an E's words: a kindred spirit. His dad is a love. I like them already. Calming down. We go to my high school's play that night, choreographed by my cool mother, and enjoy the antics therein. Jason's parents came too. Then we all go to my house afterwards for chatting and treats. I am officially calmed down by nighttime as Jason tells my family the story of how I stole his heart. Haha. I'm such a sucker for hearing stories about myself. Is that vain?Saturday March 8. MTP trip, day 2. Sleep in, long run in the beautiful Washington countryside. Oh how I miss it! 8 miles and I was feelin good. Jason's off shopping all morning with his folks, I'm bonding with my lovely grandma and hilarious brother Brian. It's good times. Jason and his folks come over for linner, which is a delicious salmon. Holy cow can my mom cook up a salmon. We play games, my grandma almost destroys us all, and we feel bad about making David and Gena lose (those are the fabled Parents). Jason takes one for the team and loses on purpose so that his dad doesn't have to be in the loser's post forever. At least, I think he lost on purpose. He'd never say; he's too humble. Then we just kick it and talk for a while. Later we go bowling with Jason's bro Ian and his gf Lindsay and also my brother Brian. It is hilarious. Lindsay wins by a long shot despite weighing 88 pounds. I break a nail and lose to everyone. Shoot. Brian bowls for his 2nd time ever and almost kills us on his backswing when he accidentally released his bowling ball a bit early... but yet he manages to still beat me. ARRRGHH. Eventually we go back to my house and Jason is bonding with my dad and mom and I fall asleep. I'm tired and it's 2am in Boston! Jason goes home.Sunday March 9. MTP day Last. Church day! We decided to go to my home ward as Jason doesn't know anybody anymore in his parents' and I love my ward like I love my extended family. Jason picks me up and we make our way. Church is good and everybody's wondering who this dashing young man is... I tell them he's my dude. Old bishops and laurel advisors are examining my left hand for something sparkly... I tell them in no uncertain terms that we've known each other for barely two months. Geez, people. Some rad folks give rad talks about gospel learning and I am reminded to keep things in balance and keep diligently pursuing truth. I highly enjoy sitting by both Jason and my grandma. Man I love that lady. And I'm starting to feel like Jason and I just... go together. Weird. After church we truck it to his folks' house where we are celebrating the birthdays of Jason's dad, brother-in-law, and niece all in one fell swoop. We have a great time chatting, being amused by the kids, and getting to know each other. So fun. Jason's mom is becoming one of my favorite ladies ever. Later on it's time to leave. I say adios to The Parents. Gena gives me a big, tender hug like one you'd get from an angel. David embraces me like an Italian godfather and kisses me on the cheek and tells me he loves me. Hahaha, like father, like son... took Jason just about that long after knowing me before he was kissing me and saying L words. Oh I loved it! It was so fun to see where Jason comes from and see him interact with his family and with mine. We went over to his brother Ian's for a while to bond with him, then back to my house for general chatting. My family fell in love with Jason's musical talent and he was giving my mom and Brian lessons in theory over the piano. So fun. Then eventually he went home. I got the thumbs up from everybody in my family and we went to bed.Monday March 10. Travel back to Boston. Mom and Grandma drove us to Seattle and Jason and I flew across the country together... beginning our journey. We have the greatest time on the flights, just chatting and wearing our matching Chuck Taylors and laughing and, oh, a little cuddling in the mix. I meet a lovely Croatian woman on the flight back and Jason attempts sleeping on the plane. Eventually we make it back to the east coast. We meet a lovely boy from Boston who is getting ready to go to BYU next year as a freshman who asks us if we're married or siblings or something. Hahaha, what a funny way to word that question! Usually you don't include such extremes in the same question, but cool. And we got in the car and drove to our new lives in Boston. ...And it's been a whirlwind ever since! I have had a few moments of panic as this new unpredictable variable has entered in my very life that was previously very predictable and quite under control--under my control. It's been a trip to allow a little bit of uncertainty in and to face the unknown future with faith. Somehow, miraculously, with all of that uncertainty and unknown also comes a whole lotta fun, love, learning, molding, growth, progress, and the filling of my heart in ways I didn't know were possible as I learn that it really is way more blessed to give than to receive. Hmm. I think that the rest of my resurrectional thoughts will now have to be saved for another day... this has become long. I will leave that as a teaser, then--a taste of what's to come. Get ready to have my philosophical and spiritual musings laid out before you like so many proverbial fruits. I love you all. p.s. Sorry for no pictures--I forgot to take my camera! Oh, the humanity!!!

Thursday, March 6

Sunday, March 2

Is it possible for me to be dating a cooler or more thoughtful guy? I submit that it is not. These are the tulips Jason sent "to brighten the next two weeks until we see each other again." Holy cheesy. And AWESOME. I love them.

Plan for the week: work crazy hours, keep training for the half marathon, take off on Friday for Seattle to play Meet The Family with Jason's family and my family. We're even planning a dinner with his parents, my parents, and my grandma. Gutsy? Nah. It'll be so so fun. Let's pray for sunshine, too, so we can go to the islands. I'll be there all weekend and back to Boston on Monday, Jason in tow, where he'll begin his new life as a returned Bostonian. Wish him luck. And a job.

Hey, want to see adorable pictures of my nieces and nephew? Click here.